Cheshire man convicted of bribing witness in New Haven murder trial

HARTFORD >> A private investigator was convicted Monday of bribing and tampering with a witness in a successful effort to get her to recant her testimony against two men whose murder convictions were overturned but later reinstated.

A jury in Rockville Superior Court found Gerald O’Donnell, 69, of Cheshire, guilty of the two felonies, but acquitted him of perjury. He faces one to 20 years in prison at his sentencing scheduled for Jan. 6.

O’Donnell’s attorney, Norman Pattis, said he plans to appeal the verdicts.

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“We are deeply disappointed,” Pattis said. “He is a good and loyal man, and friend. My heart goes out to him and to his family.”

O’Donnell was arrested last year on allegations he gave witness Doreen Stiles cash, a TV and a stereo to recant her testimony against George Gould and Ronald Taylor. Both men were convicted of murdering New Haven grocery shop owner Eugenio Deleon Vega in 1993 and sentenced to 80 years in prison.

Stiles had testified that she saw Gould and Taylor at the murder scene, but recanted her story in 2009. That led a state judge to declare Gould and Taylor innocent and victims of “manifest injustice.” They were freed in April 2010 after 16 years behind bars.

But the state Supreme Court overturned that ruling in July 2011, saying Gould and Taylor hadn’t proved their innocence, and ordered a new appeal trial. Gould was sent back to prison. Taylor was allowed to remain free while he fought colon cancer, but died three months after the Supreme Court’s ruling.

Stiles refused to testify at the new appeal trial, invoking her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Gould lost his bid for freedom in that trial last year and is appealing the ruling to the state Appellate Court.

O’Donnell, a former Cheshire police officer and former inspector in the New Haven state’s attorney’s office, posted $75,000 bail after his arrest. But after Monday’s verdicts, a judge increased bail to $125,000 and O’Donnell was detained. Pattis said O’Donnell was trying to post bail again Monday afternoon.